Holly Willoughby faces backlash after quitting lifestyle brand to spend more time with family

Holly Willoughby has decided to step down from her debut lifestyle brand just weeks before the launch date in order to spend more time with her family.

The television presenter took to Instagram to break the news to fans that she will no longer be fronting Truly with a candid post.

The mother-of-three wrote, “After much consideration, I have made the decision to step away from Truly. To launch a brand needs total dedication and at the moment, with so many other commitments, this is not something I feel I can do without it starting to affect my family time at home.”

Back in April, the 37-year-old announced plans to launch her first lifestyle brand dedicated to “beautiful things that are of the highest quality, surprisingly affordable and designed to make your life easier”.

But with a clothing line for Very, a collaboration with Marks and Spencer set to launch and the recent news that she will be taking Anthony McPartlin’s place on ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’ this year – the presenter certainly has her work cut out.

Sadly, fans were less than sympathetic over her difficulty in balancing a career with family life with many criticising the presenter for not having a ‘normal’ job.

One social media user took to Instagram to comment: “Omg, family time! Get yourself a normal full time job and then it might have some reality about it! You have more holidays than the whole country put together!”

While another wrote, “Maybe spend less time on TV and give others a chance. Gets very boring seeing you on so much and there are plenty of others… just do one programme maybe, not them all and be greedy- that way you would get a huge amount of time with your family before you leave them to fly to the other side of the world for yet another airing of TV of yourself…”

Fortunately, a large majority of Willoughby’s followers took to the post to praise the presenter for putting family first.

One wrote: “This is such a powerful statement and as a busy mum, I am so grateful to you for it. Sometimes we just can’t do everything, no matter how much we want to and there is no weakness in stepping back sometimes, no matter how much we feel judged for it.”

While another commented [sic], “Good for you putting family first. If you were a man Holly no one would be making reference to your family time. You’re clearly a devoted loving mother, excellent at your job. Keep going doing what ur doing girl.”

Yet it’s not the first time Willoughby’s parenting skills have been called into question by the public.

When news broke that she will present ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’ alongside Declan Donnelly, fans took to social media to criticise her latest career move.

“What??!! Ffs!! Stay at home and actually spend time with your kids,” one user wrote on Twitter.

While another commented, “Won’t be watching! Isn’t she on telly enough already? Is she taking her kids or leaving them while she gets a bit more airtime?”

Similarly, news presenter Kate Silverton was fell victim to childcare shaming online after deciding to take part in ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.

In response to a troll on Twitter, she wrote: “Mr ‘anonymous’ I take my time with my children very seriously – my children will both be at school when I am training – it’s the reason I have agreed to do #strictly this year. I agree mothering is the most important job – but I would never seek to preach.”

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